Journal: Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society
Volume: JETS 09:4 (Fall 1966)
Article: John’s Witness To The Historical Jesus
Author: Leo G. Cox

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BETS 9:4 (Fall 1966) p. 173

John’s Witness To The Historical Jesus

Leo G. Cox, Ph.D.

While in our present era many liberal scholars find it increasingly difficult to believe the truth of miraculous events recorded in the Scriptures, it is interesting to study some of the New Testament writings with this perspective in view. It seems a bit strange to hear scholars reject certain accounts because, they say, it is impossible to believe them in our modern, scientific age, when one finds thinkers in John’s day denying the accounts because they seemed incredible in their time. These first century heretics may not have possessed the modern, scientific perspective, but they did find an historical incarnation offensive to their presuppositions.

Without taking time to discuss the authorship of the Johannine writings, I will assume that John the Apostle was the author. The epistles of John are best understood as a defense of the Gospel against certain false teachings that were disturbing these Asian churches. In his First Epistle John claimed that these false prophets were in darkness (1:6) and called them deceivers and liars (1:8–10). These troublemakers disobeyed God’s commandments (2:4), hated their brothers (2:9), denied the Lord Jesus (2:22) and His Incarnation (4:2), and were called antichrists (4:3). These persons described in the First Epistle had been in the church, but were now outside (2:19); in the Second Epistle they appear to be messengers traveling about (v. 10); in the Third Epistle, a false leader had established a stronghold within the Christian group (vv. 9–10).

Who were these false teachers and what were they saying? In his First Epistle John began immediately with a defense of the temporal reality of Jesus. Concerning the “Word of life” he wrote, “That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon and touched with our hands” (1:1). John clearly portrayed Christ here as the Eternal One with the Father, yet insisted that He came to earth in physical form. The story of Christ’s birth, growing up and physical activity was no myth for John; Christ’s body was not a mere appearance or phantom. John was there; he had with his own eyes, ears, and touch beheld and confirmed that Jesus’ body was real. These opp...

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